Political Gabfest Tough It Out, Pregnant Ladies!
63 snips
Sep 25, 2025 
Beverly Gage, a historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, dives into the parallels between the Red Scare and today's political climate. She highlights how McCarthyism's tactics still resonate, especially regarding free speech. Gage reveals the harsh realities faced during past crackdowns, including job losses and public fear. The conversation delves into resisting modern governmental pressures and emphasizes the importance of coalition-building. In a compelling twist, Gage differentiates the unique powers Trump wields compared to McCarthy, offering valuable insights into our current era.
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Weaponizing The Justice Department
- Since Watergate, DOJ norms separate White House from individual prosecutions to avoid politicized use of prosecutorial power.
- Trump’s push to replace a U.S. attorney and order prosecutions reverses that norm and weaponizes justice.
Start With Deeds Not Targets
- Prosecutors should start with deeds, not people; investigations need a factual predicate before launching.
- Reverse-engineering crimes by targeting people undermines prosecutorial ethics and produces declinations rather than valid cases.
Legal Limits Are Political Too
- Legal checks exist but are limited: impeachment, congressional pressure, and courts can constrain abuses but rely on political will.
- Many responses to politicized prosecutions will therefore be political rather than purely legal.
